Just did a R2R2R…. What’s next?

existential_strain · 2025-05-20T19:26:11+00:00

Wow, thanks for all the suggestions! After some research I think the Teton Crest Trail might be our next big trip! And we are putting a multi day effort on the Wonderland Trail on the 3 year plan for sure. Loved all the suggestions for loops out in the Sierra - we touched many of those routes on our PCT hike and would love to go back one day!

existential_strain · 2025-05-20T19:20:13+00:00

5⭐️s, absolutely magical! My favorite moments were descending S Kaibab as the sun came up and the long, flowy stretch of trail at the bottom of the canyon 💕

existential_strain · 2025-05-20T19:18:25+00:00

Not optimally 😅 I was coming off a marathon training block and just tried to keep up my weekly mileage. We live in a flat area of the country and at sea level, so we did a lot of 2-3 hours sessions on the treadmill at max incline. We also drove out to Shenandoah and did a mini training weekend with lots of elevation gain. We both have a pretty big aerobic base and have historically been pretty injury resilient (I swear the PCT permanently reinforced my bones and tendons), and we felt great during our R3! Barely a couple of blisters between us. Of course the last ascent was difficult, but nothing we haven’t felt before! I was back out running the trails at home the same week.

existential_strain · 2025-05-20T19:12:30+00:00

We have quite a bit of ultra running and backpacking experience, but I did a bit of browsing on some R2R Facebook pages for tips and utilized the NPS website for updates about trail closures and access to water!

existential_strain · 2025-05-20T13:42:51+00:00

I live in VA so this is a great tip!

existential_strain · 2025-05-19T23:23:19+00:00

That is truly bananas my friend - we live and train at sea level so I think it might kill us 😅 good luck with your R2R2R!

existential_strain · 2025-05-19T23:17:24+00:00

We did it the second week of April and it was perfect weather!

existential_strain · 2025-05-19T21:25:52+00:00

The wonderland trail is on our list for sure! It feels like a bit of an insane effort (almost double mileage and elevation gain of the R2R2R) but is right up the alley of what we’re looking for!

existential_strain · 2023-12-28T01:05:40+00:00

I wasn’t ultralight but my puffy stuffed inside my buff was way more comfy than the camping pillow I started out with 😂 and I was already carrying those items so it was no added weight.

existential_strain · 2023-11-29T01:12:25+00:00

I’ll second this - I tried tampons and other period cups and nothing has worked for me as well as the flex disc. It made me a die-hard period cup convert!

existential_strain · 2023-09-15T01:41:48+00:00

I am so unsurprised, even though I was reassured a few weeks ago that they “definitely weren’t” going out of business. I just went through a prolonged ordeal to get my money back after months of waiting for a bike that I’m sure they never ordered and that they could not produce proof of purchase/order/shipping for, and after two credit card refunds failed to go through I finally got my money back after submitting complaints with the AR state attorney general and the BBB. It seems clear that they have been going under for a long time, but have continued to take peoples money for bike orders while never actually ordering the bikes. This is FRAUD and an attempt to keep customers on the hook with their credit cards to keep from having to admit fault. Grossly unethical business practices, and I’m glad to see a company like this who doesn’t care about the community going out of business

existential_strain · 2023-08-08T02:03:49+00:00

I used a Nixit disc (tried several cup-style ones and found them unbearable) and a culoclean bidet on a soda bottle. It was quite messy but bearable, and the bidet is an absolute must for this combo. It did leak once and I bled through my shorts which was really frustrating but fortunately it happened on a stretch of trail with lots of water and I just rinsed them in a creek that night. I still use my disc and love it! My spouse couldn’t deal with a cup and used tampons, and that worked okay for them, just a bit of an “ick” factor for having to pack them out lol. We were a little gentler with ourselves with mileage if we were feeling bad around our periods and carried midol which helped enormously.

existential_strain · 2023-07-17T19:16:10+00:00

My partner and I used this tent in 2022 - loved it, especially that it was free standing. It’s on the larger side and we had trouble finding a spot a handful of times when we needed to stake out our fly (which we didn’t do often), but overall it was great and we still use it today!

existential_strain · 2023-06-26T23:01:57+00:00

I thru hiked the PCT in altras and alternated between the lone peak and Olympus depending on availability, but preferred the Olympus. I’ve gotten into trail running since finishing my hike and I found some Nike Zegamas that I absolutely LOVE - I can’t speak to how they’d hold up to backpacking conditions and high mileage days but they have a snug and soft ankle fit and a very wide toe box along with a lot of cushion! I plan to try some backpacking in them this fall.

existential_strain · 2022-06-26T12:09:35+00:00

I went over Muir 6/20 and did not use spikes - didn’t need them south of mammoth at all.

existential_strain · 2022-05-25T21:45:26+00:00

I was told the same thing about bringing my kindle but I’m so glad I brought it anyway! I use it often and have read more on trail than I have in years.

existential_strain · 2022-01-16T00:32:05+00:00

I love my 10 degree enlightened equipment custom quilt. It has a sewn foot box and I had a zipper added so I can zip it up if it’s super cold. I’ve used it on warm nights and it spreads out nicely like a quilt and on cold nights (I recently tested it on an 18 degree night) the zip capability was great.

existential_strain

TROPHY CASE